Paper Topics

I. Requirements of format and sources:

Format

1. 8-10 page long, 12 point font, typewritten and double-spaced
2. You need to include a TITLE PAGE with a carefully chosen title, your name, course number and date
3. A TWO-LEVEL OUTLINE page
4. NUMBER THE PAGES. This is the most neglected practice in college papers.
5. NOTES, either footnotes or endnotes. You must include a bibliography if you choose not to provide full citation in the notes.

Sources

1. You need to use at least FIVE different sources, of which two are books.
2. References more than five may include Website materials. You are advised to use sources from websites hosted by academic institutions.
3. Citation of sources must be provided as either footnotes or endnotes. If you are not familiar with the format of citation, consult any standard handbook on the method of writing research papers. Please use the citation format for humanities, do not use social sciences format. In case you have never written a term paper, there is a Writer’s Workshop in the undergraduate library where you will be able to obtain help.

II. Topics

Write an essay on one of the followings.

1. You are encouraged to choose a topic different from any of those provided below. But you need to send me your topic for comments and suggestions. If you choose this option, you need to send me your topic with a brief summary of what you want to argue in your paper.

2. In his study of Chinese “religions”, Max Weber argues that “with Lao Tzu, Tao was brought into relationship with the typical god-seeking of the mystic.” There is much in the Tao-te ching to support his interpretation of Taoism/Daoism as a form of mysticism. To what extent would you agree that mysticism is all Lao Tzu/Laozi has to say about the Tao/Dao?

3. One of Confucius’ students once observed that Confucius rarely speak about deities, ghosts, wonders, and demonic power. “Heaven” in Hsun Tzu’s thought had become “nature” with no anthropomorphic attributes. Would you agree that “Heaven” was no longer an importance force in Confucian thought since Hsun Tzu? Please discuss this question with reference to the development of Confucianism in the Han period.

4. Despite bitter quarrels between followers of Confucius and Mo Tzu/Mozi, Confucianism and Mo Tzu’s/Mozi’s teachings were two of the most popular schools of thought during the Eastern Chou/Zhou period. In what ways are the teachings of Confucius and Mo Tzu/Mozi similar?

5. Compare and contrast Buddhism with a world religion: Islam, Christianity, Judaism in terms of one or several of the following issues: the concept of sin, meaning and method of salvation, meaning of death, the role of faith, the nature of morality.

6. Compare and contrast Chinese military thought with European or other non-European military thought, focusing on one or more of the following issues: the goals and meaning of war, the relationship between war and justice, the types of warfare, strategies for victory.

7. Compare and contrast the roles and status of Chinese women in traditional China with women in European and other non European societies in a specific period. You should try to focus your paper on specific issues such as education and literary of women, the changing roles of women in her life cycle, her relationship with men in different relational context (mother-son, wife-husband, sister-brother, daughter-father, etc).